Winter Weather
by StubbornPineapples
Summary: He raced down to the professor's house, leaving child footprints in the snow. He trudged back to his home, erasing his counterpart's footprints.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It was a chilly night three weeks before Christmas day, a year after the Black Organization's downfall, when Conan woke up from dreaming about…well, he can't remember. A picture of milk and coffee had lingered on his mind though, but he have no idea what that meant. He put on his fluffy bunny shoes (bought by 'Ran-neechan') and stared at the phone that is ringing.

"Seriously…?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes. He sauntered to the cabinet it was placed, and took the phone gingerly. It read: _Agasa Cell._

Why would Professor Agasa call him this _time_ of the night? Conan had a hunch it was about some new prototype he wanted to test. Nevertheless, if the professor calls him at exact 12 midnight, it must probably mean something important. Conan sure hope so. He pressed the phone to his ear.

"Hello? Hakase?"

"Kudo." Haibara answered.

Conan flinched a bit. Even though they're talking on the phone, Haibara's voice is so distinct he can't help but get surprised. Why didn't he thought of Haibara calling with the professor's number? She lives with him.

"Haibara…what's up?" he asked casually. She answered "You're lucky its Christmas time, Kudo. What took you so long to answer? _Anyway_ , come here right now. And bring clothes. I don't want you running naked after this."

Conan frowned. What's this, another temporary antidote? He appreciates Haibara's effort on making the APTX-4896 antidote (especially since its holidays) but, honestly, being Edogawa Conan never bothered him anymore. Sometimes, he wondered what would happen if he never came back as Shinichi Kudo, and surprisingly, he wasn't affected by it. Taking elementary exams that is relatively easy (for any high school students) and being able to do sneaky stuff _and_ not get caught by it were just some examples of Edogawa Conan's life's simple pleasures.

After thinking that, he suddenly felt guilty. Like deep down, Shinichi Kudo was yelling how stupid the idea is. He _is_ the Detective of the East—everyone's favorite detective. The J-League soccer star. The Holmes addict. And of course, Ran's childhood friend. Or bestfriend. Or boyfriend.

Whatever.

Before Conan can make out of his puzzled thoughts, he was pulled out by his reverie. Haibara must be in a hurry, because she didn't let Conan answer back. "Cat got your tongue, detective? Come as soon as possible. Bye." She hung up.

Conan hesitantly put the phone back, debating to call Haibara back to ask her what is going on but he quickly figured out that wasn't happening so he changed clothes and sneaked out of the house. He slipped inside the Kudo Mansion and got the clothes his hands could get first.

He raced down to the professor's house, leaving child footprints in the snow.

"You look like a mess." was the first comment the child detective got when he entered Professor Agasa's abode. "I think anyone would be, if you got woken up by a phone ringing and someone asking you to go outside in the middle of a winter night. And it's snowing." he argued.

"My bad, then." Haibara mocked.

He glared at Haibara while removing the remains of the snow in his coat. But the glare didn't last long as he saw Haibara sitting at the sofa calmly, drinking coffee. It was so normal, it made it bizarre. Conan had a hard time removing his gaze from the girl but when he finally did, he asked. "Well, what made you summon me at 12 midnight?"

"It's finished." is what all she said.

Conan stared at her dumbfoundedly. _What's finished?_ His face must be amusing because Haibara chuckled. "Stop gaping at me, idiot. Look at the table." And look at the table, he did. There lay a small red velvet box.

 _Haibara's proposing to me?_

Conan mentally slapped his face. He imagined Haibara's deadpanned face: _Not happening, Kudo. Not happening. Not even in your wildest dreams._ He opened it and among the tissues laid a small white and red capsule. "Advance Merry Christmas, Kudo." Haibara smirked. It took about a few seconds before Shinichi finally realized it.

 _The APTX-4896 Antidote is finished._

"It's…I…Haibara…" he stammered, so many thoughts inside his brain he don't know what to say first. Haibara waved her hand lightly. "Shut up, death magnet. Try to pick your jaws off the floor before you say anything. Besides, it's not like every day you can see someone so confident _like you_ look totally dumb. Let me savor the moment." Even though she just had insulted him, he can't erase the grin making its way onto his face. He looked at her. "Thanks, Haibara."

The scientist shrugged. "While you're gaping at that, try to make a story about Conan. I already asked Hakase to contact your parents for help, should you ever need it." Conan was astonished. _Had Haibara planned all of this?_ He grinned. "You're awesome." He saw her nod mutely before making his way to the bathroom, the box in his hands held tightly.

Minutes later, Shinichi was closing the door, holding in his arms Conan's clothes. He saw Haibara sleeping in the couch. Shinichi gazed at her sleeping face, so peaceful and with no worries. It was so different from the Haibara with a usual frown on her brows and the annoying smirk she always have. _Both of them are cute, anyway,_ he commented, still staring at the Haibara.

"Ugh. Did I really think of that? I'm a freaking pedophi…well, no. Not really. She's my age anyway…" he muttered. "Um…I think that's still wrong." He sighed, he must be dead tired. Besides, his head still hurt from the antidote's effect. The pain is tolerable though. He saw in his peripheral vision a pink sticky-note in the table.

He took it and read: _Lock the door when you leave. Goodbye._ He grinned, typical Haibara. He left the house as silent as his high school legs can. His mind wandered back to the note. _Goodbye_ , it said. It looks like the note was written by fate itself, saying farewell for the child detective.

He trudged back to his home, erasing his counterpart's footprints in the snow.

Hiya, Stubborn here! So I'm new to fanfic writing (I'm a pro at reading and eating and being lazy though) So this is my first multi-chap story. I really like CoAi or ShinShi! I always like ships that always don't go together, sigh...

Oh, well! R & R!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes** :

Hiyaa! So Stubborn here again XDD I have exam this next two days ( curse exams!) so here's an early chapter! You can think of these us an advance thank you for those stopped and read and those who will stop by and read (hopefully)

Oh, yeah, DISCLAIMER:

I don't own Detective Conan and its characters, only the story (coz if I did, I'd make Conan and Shinichi two different beings, sigh...)

R & R!

 **Chapter 2**

Shinichi's parents made a big act the next day that afternoon, credits to the teenage detective, heeding the strawberry blonde's advice. They gave a 'surprise' visit to the Mouri household and told Ran, who just came back from school, still wearing her uniform, that Conan's fictional parents had missed their boy and already took him back that morning. Shinichi was there with his parents, who 'forced' him to visit Beika since its Christmas. Of course, Shinichi had made an 'evidence' with Conan's voice-changing bowtie and made a goodbye message to 'Ran-neechan'.

 _"_ _Ran-neechan! I'm sorry I can't say bye-bye to you in person but Hakase told me to leave a message in the least so…thank you for everything! Even for the bunny slippers! Say goodbye for me to Uncle Kogorou. And Sonoko-neechan as well. Genta might get mad at me for leaving so suddenly but I'm sure the Detective Boys will understand. Hakase will try to explain, he said so. And the police officers too! Detective Wataru and Ms. Sato and the others…I'm really sorry about leaving you guys when Christmas' coming but Papa and Mama said they really missed me. I did too, but I'm still disappointed I can't celebrate with all of you, especially you, Ran-neechan. Mama told me we'll try to visit you there sometime in Beika. Goodbye and advance Merry Christmas, Ran-neechan!"_

The detective actually got a bit guilty when he saw Ran tear up a bit. "Geez, that kid…He's troublesome and goes off without my permission but…I'll sure miss him." Even the Detective Boys was there, courtesy of Hakase telling them the news. Even Haibara, leaning near the door, her arms crossed and face carefully neutral.

"Conan…" Ayumi muttered, crestfallen.

"It's fine. He…he told us he'll visit again right?" Mitsuhiko tried to cheer her up but Shinichi can see that child was having a hard time as well.

Only Genta was not sad, instead he was frowning. He turned to the Hakase and spoke in a loud voice; it got everyone's attention, even Shinichi. "That Conan! Leaving us without notice, the nerve! That idiot decided to leave us in Christmas too! That minus one for my presents, ne, Haibara?" Everyone stared at Haibara. It was faint but Shinichi saw Haibara shrug.

"It can't be helped."

"But that's too sad!" Ayumi said.

"Y-yeah! The detective boys are incomplete now too!" Mitsuhiko added.

Haibara gave him a quick glance with a message: _"You fix this."_ Shinichi laughed nervously and raised his hands. "Oi, oi. Conan told you that he'll come back right?" he turned to Ran then to the kids. "I haven't meet him longer than the rest of you but Conan never breaks a promise, does he?"

The Detective Boys looked at each other.

"No. Conan keeps his promises." Ayumi answered.

"Yeah. We really trust him." Mitsuhiko said with a small smile.

Genta pursed his lips. "Well, there was a time he forgot to bring me a tuna sandwich—"

"—Genta!" Mitsuhiko and Ayumi shouted. The said kid laughed. "Okay, okay. Just kidding. He never let us down though!" After that, the three children perked up, telling each other memories of Edogawa Conan. Shinichi grinned proudly at his parents and Ran. Then he looked at Haibara who muttered.

"Yeah." she said with a soft voice just enough for Shinichi to hear.

"He keeps his promises to the point of irrationality."

Shinichi flinched a bit. The way Haibara said that made him remember a memory in the past that made Haibara angry with him for a whole month. He knows the girl meant no harm now, and they're on good terms (if you call bickering and the usual sarcastic remarks here and then _good terms_ ) but it still lingered on the back of his mind. But Shinichi never regretted it.

If he would have to replay the same scene over and over again, feel the same pain and agony again, hear his ragged breath again, taste his own blood again and see those nightmares again, he would still do the same.

Shinichi would still choose Haibara over Ran.

The Detective of the East glanced at Ran's right arm, which was holding a cup of tea his mother made, laughing with Ayumi. He remembered the blood that came from those limbs, thanks to Gin. It made his gut twist but he decided to shake it off. _"It could have been worse, Shinichi, it could be the worst."_ he told himself. This thought made him glance at Haibara, which was having a sort-of serious conversation with his mother that involves hush tones and series of giggles from Yukiko. He still remembered Haibara lying in a corner, swimming with her own scarlet blood, while the building crumbled to ruins, the entrance blocked by debris.

He remembered the very gates of his own hell.

 _"_ _W-Why are you here, detective? Are you an idiot? Ran's still here…in the second floor, I think. Go on, save her. She needs you." the child scientist said, trembling, putting pressure to her child legs that was wounded._

 _Conan didn't budged._

 _Instead he knelt to her and attempted to get Haibara's free arm and help her but she snatched it away. "Are you out of your mind, Kudo?! Perhaps you didn't hear me. I said Ran's still there! Go save her! Not me!" Conan stared at her, his glasses' right lens broken. "I'm here to save you, Haibara." he said firmly._

 _Haibara stared at him, and with all her might, shook his shoulder hard. "Are you crazy, Kudo?! It's Ran! Your childhood bestfriend! What's the whole point of fighting the organization for without her? Tracking them down? Cornering them? To be with her! For heaven's sake, Kudo! Ran's going to die here!"_

 _She shook him with all her might trying to shake some sense onto him but he didn't budged. Conan held her arm that made her stop. "I…I already know about that. Jodie-sensei told us awhile ago. One of the police saw her in the second floor. I asked Hattori to save her. She was wounded, protecting the kids, he said. It's not critical though. She…she'll survive." he said weakly, removing his broken glasses._

 _"…_ _Why?" the strawberry blond muttered, her eyes filled with so many questions. Why did you do that? Why did you not look for her? Why did you come here? Why would you risk your own life? Why did you let another guy save Ran? Why me?_

 _Conan stared at her with determined eyes and gritted his teeth. He ran his free hand over his hair in frustration._

 _"_ _I'm fucking afraid, okay!?" he confessed, balling his hand into a fist. He then realized the sudden outburst. He avoided the girl's gaze. "I…I'm scared, okay? Please understand that at least, Shiho…I'm afraid that if I attend to Ran and leave you here, alone and wounded…I won't ever see you again."_

That night, Shinichi stayed at Agasa's house, ignoring Ran's question on why he won't sleep in his _own_ house. "Just a change of pace, I guess." Shinichi shrugged her off, which he does rarely. _Conan does that often though,_ he thought. That night, since Agasa makes award-winning inventions and gadgets but not award-winning nor edible food, Shinichi thought their meal would consist of instant noodles and instant coffee.

He was glad to be wrong.

Who knew Haibara, for all of her sarcasm and fashion greediness, can cook like a 5-star chef? Agasa might have known, but the Detective of the East didn't.

Agasa took his meal to his own room, Shinichi don't know why. He probably has something to do. Shinichi noticed it too. The professor was painfully busy these days, always holding papers and calling someone. Either way, the detective and the child scientist ate their meal together.

"So you cook, huh?" he said between bites of the homemade chicken casserole. "Unless you're really stupid, death magnet, you're eating my cooking right now." she said, taking a sip of her coffee. Shinichi deadpanned but he quickly regained.

"Oi, oi. Children shouldn't drink coffee, _Ai-chan_."

He said that in a childish voice he used to talk with the Detective Boys. Haibara glared at him for a second. But she gave him a sickly, sweet smile.

"You sound like a moron, _Shinichi-niichan._ "

Shinichi cringed. "Okay, okay. Fine, you win this time." he took another bite of Haibara's cooking.

Shinichi glanced at Haibara who was busily eating her own meal.

"So…do you have any plans of returning?"

The question made Haibara abruptly stop, her fork midway to her mouth. She put down her fork and said "Jodie-sensei told me to finish my studies, apply for Beika police. Something like forensics expert?" Shinichi's eyes widened. "So you plan to return back?" Haibara gave him a smirk. "I like being a child, Kudo. But I sure don't want to repeat painfully tedious years of childhood." Shinichi could only laugh.

So Haibara has plans on returning to Miyano Shiho. On top of that, she'll stay here. The teenager had recurring thoughts that Haibara might go back in America. But no, she'll stay here, in Beika, and there's even a chance that they might work together. Solving crime together…bickering…saying facts and observations…

"Kudo." his train of thoughts halted to a stop. Haibara looked at him with a neutral face. "Just so let you know, you look so stupid I might puke."


End file.
